Château d'Eu, Eu, France - SpottingHistory.com

The Château d'Eu is a former royal residence built in the 16th century to replace an earlier one purposely demolished in 1475 to prevent its capture by the English. The chapel contains the tombs of Henry I, Duke of Guise, and his wife, Catherine de Clèves, who embarked on the construction of the château in 1578. The building was completed almost a century later by the Anne Marie Louise d'Orléans, Duchess of Montpensier.

Between 1830 and 1848, the château, which had been the property of the Orléans family since its acquisition by La Grande Mademoiselle in October 1657, served as King Louis-Philippe's summer residence. Her Imperial Highness Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil, who brought slavery to an end in Brazil in 1888, died at the Château in 1921. Her husband was Prince Gaston, Count of Eu, a grandson of King Louis Philippe I, friend of Queen Victoria.

In 1964, the city of Eu acquired the château, in which, in 1973, it installed its City Hall and created the Musée Louis-Philippe.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Sanne Losekoot (3 years ago)
The history and explanations were given in different languages (French, English, Dutch, German etc). There was a lot to see and the rooms were full of interesting artifacts. Only negatieve point is that there weren't really bedrooms to view

Edouard Ledent (3 years ago)
Exceptional museum with collections extremely well preserved describing life in France across several centuries.

NostalAsie NostaLatina (3 years ago)
Nice museum and building.

Daniel Pineau (4 years ago)
My maternal paternal family goes back at least nine generations living in Eu proper - while my maternal/maternal family was sourced from Corsica in the late 18th century, but, that's irrelevant to this review. What is relevant is that the Chateau has been a backdrop for most of my youthful summers - and some of those in adulthood. American tourists might very well overlook Eu, but it has a rich history - mainly that which includes Guillaume le Conquerant (William the Conquerer) as well as Lorcán Ua Tuathail (St. Laurence O'Toole the Archbishop of Dublin - back in the Norman conquest days). Regardless, the Chateau itself is host to several significant historical events. For Anglophiles, of interest would be Queen Victoria's summer stays in 1843 and 1845 as guest of Louis Philippe. the cost of a self-guided tour is modestly priced. If you're reading this, then you're very likely considering going anyway - so my review is moot. I'll let the photos do the talking. botanists will enjoy the classic French gardens, interior decorators of yesteryear will take interest in the over-the-top interiors. Back in the mid-sixties, the town of Eu took possession of the Chateau. Today, the town hall is situated on the property. If you're visiting the Chateau, it'd be a shame for you not to experience the St. Laurent O'Toole chapel at the top of the overlooking northern hill - as well as the Collegial (what most of you might think of when you think of Cathedrals from the era of Cluny).

Ian Pinfold (5 years ago)
Town centre museum Not sure if it was because we are English or because it was the end if the season but the staff didn't seem too bothered to help & over charged us! Not overly interesting. Grounds weren't very impressive either!

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Heraclea Lyncestis

Heraclea Lyncestis was an ancient Greek city in Macedon, ruled later by the Romans. It was founded by Philip II of Macedon in the middle of the 4th century BC. The city was named in honor of the mythological hero Heracles. The name Lynkestis originates from the name of the ancient kingdom, conquered by Philip, where the city was built.

Heraclea was a strategically important town during the Hellenistic period, as it was at the edge of Macedon"s border with Epirus to the west and Paeonia to the north, until the middle of the 2nd century BC, when the Romans conquered Macedon and destroyed its political power. The main Roman road in the area, Via Egnatia went through Heraclea, and Heraclea was an important stop. The prosperity of the city was maintained mainly due to this road.

The Roman emperor Hadrian built a theatre in the center of the town, on a hill, when many buildings in the Roman province of Macedonia were being restored. It began being used during the reign of Antoninus Pius. Inside the theatre there were three animal cages and in the western part a tunnel. The theatre went out of use during the late 4th century AD, when gladiator fights in the Roman Empire were banned, due to the spread of Christianity, the formulation of the Eastern Roman Empire, and the abandonment of, what was then perceived as, pagan rituals and entertainment.

Late Antiquity and Byzantine periods

In the early Byzantine period (4th to 6th centuries AD) Heraclea was an important episcopal centre. A small and a great basilica, the bishop"s residence, and a funerary basilica and the necropolis are some of the remains of this period. Three naves in the Great Basilica are covered with mosaics of very rich floral and figurative iconography; these well preserved mosaics are often regarded as fine examples of the early Christian art period.

The city was sacked by Ostrogoth/Visigoth forces, commanded by Theodoric the Great in 472 AD and again in 479 AD. It was restored in the late 5th and early 6th century. When an earthquake struck in 518 AD, the inhabitants of Heraclea gradually abandoned the city. Subsequently, at the eve of the 7th century, the Dragovites, a Slavic tribe pushed down from the north by the Avars, settled in the area. The last coin issue dates from ca. 585, which suggests that the city was finally captured by the Slavs. As result, in place of the deserted city theatre several huts were built.

The Episcopacy Residence was excavated between 1970 and 1975. The western part was discovered first and the southern side is near the town wall. The luxury rooms are located in the eastern part. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th rooms all have mosaic floors. Between the 3rd and 4th rooms there is a hole that led to the eastern entrance of the residence. The hole was purposefully created between the 4th and 6th century.

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